Hibiscus plant named ‘15334-1 GR’

ABSTRACT

‘15334-1 GR’ is a new and distinct hardy herbaceous Hibiscus hybrid with novel characteristics that include upright branched stems, numerous, outward-facing, flowers with a background between strong red and deep purplish pink and a strong red eye zone, a prolonged blooming season, and generally hastate, trilobed leaves with slightly indented margins.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Hibiscushybrid (L.).

Cultivar denomination: ‘15334-1 GR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the new and distinct hibiscus plant ‘15334-1GR’. ‘15334-1 GR’ was generated from a cross performed on Jul. 10, 2014near Vernon, Tex. between ‘11274-5’ (pod parent, unpatented) and‘13056-2’ (pollen parent, unpatented). The pedigrees of each parentreflect a complex mixture of hibiscus species that include, for example,H. mocheutos, H. coccineus, or H. militaris. The seed from this crosswas harvested on Aug. 24, 2014 and the ‘15334-1 GR’ seedling wasselected in the summer of 2015. ‘15334-1 GR’ was first asexuallypropagated near Vernon, Tex. in 2016 by stem tip cuttings. The resultingas well as subsequent asexually propagated plants have been stable andtrue to type throughout successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘15334-1 GR’ differs from its parents and all other known hardyherbaceous hibiscus plants. The following are the most outstanding anddistinguishing characteristics of ‘15334-1 GR’: (1) it is a hardyperennial with dense branching and a compact growth habit; (2) it bloomsprofusely over a prolonged season; and (3) its flowers exhibit abackground between strong red (RHS 53C) and deep purplish pink (RHS 55A)and a strong red (RHS 53B) eye zone.

‘15334-1 GR’ plants can be readily and unambiguously distinguished fromthose of its parents. ‘15334-1 GR’ plants exhibit flowers that arebetween strong red (RHS 53C) and deep purplish pink (RHS 55A) and thathave an average diameter of 23 cm and generally hastate leaves withslightly indented margins. Whereas, ‘11274-5’ plants (pod parent)exhibit deep purplish pink (RHS 55A) flowers that have an averagediameter of 20 cm and hastate leaves with deeply indented margins; and‘13056-2’ plants (pollen parent) exhibit strong purplish pink (RHS 55B)flowers that have an average diameter of 30 cm and ovate leaves withindented margins.

‘Mars Madness’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,838) is the hibiscus plant thatexhibits flowers with a shape that is most similar to those of ‘15334-1GR’. Nonetheless, plants of ‘15334-1 GR’ and ‘Mars Madness’ can also bereadily and unambiguously distinguished from one another at least basedupon petal shape and foliage color. ‘Mars Madness’ plants exhibit ribbedpetals with smooth margins and dark-green (RHS 137A) and greyed-purple(between RHS 187A and RHS N137A) foliage; whereas, ‘15334-1 GR’ plantsexhibit ribbed petals with slightly frilled margins and moderateyellowish green (between RHS 137D and RHS 138A) foliage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

‘15334-1 GR’ is illustrated by the accompanying photographs, which showthe plant's form, foliage, flowers, and leaves. The colors shown are astrue as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures.

FIG. 1—Shows a 6-week-old ‘15334-1 GR’ plant in a container.

FIG. 2—Shows a ‘15334-1 GR’ flower as seen looking directly at theadaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year old plant.

FIG. 3—Shows a ‘15334-1 GR’ flower as seen looking slightly askew fromthe adaxial surface of the petals on a 2-year old plant.

FIG. 4—Shows a ‘15334-1 GR’ leaf that is representative of one of thetwo most common shapes.

FIG. 5—Shows a ‘15334-1 GR’ leaf that is representative of one of thetwo most common shapes.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed description sets forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘15334-1 GR’. The detailed description was obtainedusing two-year-old plants grown in loamy sand, open-field, full suntrials at a nursery near Vernon, Tex., during which the plants weresupplemented with fertilizer and water as needed. These plants arenatural habit and were not treated with plant growth regulators and theywere not pinched at any time in the growth year. ‘15334-1 GR’ has notbeen observed under all possible environments, and certaincharacteristics may vary slightly under different environmentalconditions. Color references are to The Royal Horticultural SocietyColour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society of London (R.H.S.), 2001(4^(th) edition).

-   Propagation:    -   -   Method.—Stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots from stem cuttings after treating            cuttings with a commercial rooting hormone.—About 2 weeks            under misting and at an air temperature of 85° C.        -   Rooting habit.—Normal, branching, fleshy, and developing a            thick diameter (to about 2.5 cm).        -   Root color.—Pale yellow (between RHS 161D and RHS 162D),            depending on soil type.        -   Crop time (under normal summer growing conditions and when            grown in a 4 L container from a rooted cutting).—8 to 10            weeks to flower with very good plant vigor.-   Plant:    -   -   Plant shape and habit.—Hardy herbaceous perennial with 6 to            8 moderately thick upright and heavily branched main stems            producing an upright spreading mound about 70 cm tall and 70            cm wide, which is widest about 30 cm above the soil line.        -   Primary branches.—8 to 16 per main stem that protrude at            about a 45° angle from horizontal.        -   Lateral branches.—On the middle half of the primary stems.        -   Lateral branch size.—Between 15 cm and 30 cm long (shorter            at the upper nodes) and with an average diameter of 8.0 mm            at their base.        -   Flower location.—Upper ⅓ of the plant beginning at axillary            nodes while still developing at the apex.        -   Stem.—Rounded, glabrous, glaucous; averages about 70 cm tall            and 3.5 cm diameter at their base.        -   Stem color.—Closest to moderate yellowish green (RHS 139D).        -   Internode.—About 15 nodes per stem below flower and about 35            total, average internode length is about 3.0 cm of unpinched            plant, but varies between 2.0 to 5.0 cm and are widest in            lower portion of stem.-   Foliage:    -   -   Shape.—Generally hastate, trilobed with slightly indented            margins.        -   Texture.—Adaxial and abaxial matte.        -   Leaf blade size.—To about 12.0 cm long and 8.0 cm wide,            larger proximally and becoming smaller in distal portion of            stem.        -   Foliage color.—Adaxial and abaxial moderate yellowish green            (between RHS 137D and RHS 138A).        -   Veins.—Palmate; adaxial and abaxial veins moderate yellowish            green (RHS 139D).        -   Petiole size (average).—5.0 cm long and 5.0 mm wide.        -   Petiole color.—Moderate yellowish green (between RHS 137D            and RHS 139D).-   Flowers:    -   -   Buds.—One day prior to opening about 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm            in diameter, pointed apex and bluntly rounded base; and,            prior to showing petals, about 3.5 cm long and 2.5 cm in            diameter, ovoid with acute apex.        -   Bud color.—Exposed petal, strong red (RHS 46A); and, prior            to showing petals, moderate yellowish green (RHS 139D).        -   Epicalyx.—Entire, smooth, puberulent both surfaces, linear            with sharply acute apex and attenuate base, curved around            sepals; typically 10 to 12 per flower; about 2.5 cm long            tapering to base of about 3.0 mm wide.        -   Epicalyx color.—Adaxial and abaxial moderate yellowish green            (RHS 139D).        -   Sepals.—5, proximal half connate forming campanulate            star-shaped calyx; acute apex; margin entire, edentate;            puberulent abaxial glabrous adaxial; individually about 3.5            cm long and about 2.5 cm wide at fusion point. From the            upper side of the flower, sepals visible as a star shape in            the center of the flower.        -   Sepal color.—Abaxial and adaxial color moderate yellowish            green (RHS 139D).        -   Flowers.—Solitary, about 15 to 25 per main stem without            pinching; primarily outwardly facing; average 23 cm across,            larger in early part of flowering season; persist for one to            two days, depending on temperature; effective for at least            14 weeks beginning early July and lasting into October            (north Texas), no detectable fragrance.        -   Petals.—5; glabrous, slightly lustrous in the center and            toward middle and perimeter, dull in the back, adnate to the            androecium to form a column, imbricate to about 90%            overlapping at widest part (petals about 45% overlapping the            next petal to either side. Veins: Parallelly veined, veins            impressed on front and ribbed on back; strong red (RHS 53B)            extending from the eye zone to about the center of the            petal, then fading to strong red (RHS 53C) from the center            to the petal margin. Shape: Rounded. Margins: Entire,            edentate, slightly frilled. Apex: Rounded. Base: Short            claw-like. Surface: adaxial and abaxial glabrous, slightly            ribbed. Size (average): About 11.0 cm long and about 10.5 cm            wide at widest portion; center dark eye about 3.0 cm            diameter. Color: Adaxial and abaxial between strong red (RHS            53C) and deep purplish pink (RHS 55A); center eye strong red            (RHS 53B).        -   Gynoecium.—Style: Enclosed in column about 5.5 cm long and            0.5 cm wide at base; column color between strong red (RHS            53C) and deep purplish pink (RHS 55A); style protruding from            column and split in distal 10.0 mm portion into typically 5            branches, branch diameter 2.0 mm; branch color between            strong red (RHS 53C) and deep purplish pink (RHS 55A).            Stigma: Typically 5; globose, puberulose, about 3.0 mm in            diameter; color nearest strong red (RHS 53C). Ovary:            Superior, about 6.5 mm across at base and 6.0 mm tall; acute            apex.        -   Androecium.—Filaments: Numerous, about 160; less than 1.0 mm            in diameter and about 5.0 mm long; attached along nearly the            entire length of column; color nearest deep purplish pink            (RHS 55A). Anthers: Reniform; about 2 mm long and 1 mm wide;            nearest light yellow (RHS 163D). Pollen: Numerous, globose,            less than 0.1 mm long; color light yellow (RHS 163D).        -   Pedicel.—Rounded in cross section, finely puberulent; length            from base of sepal to abscission point average 0.5 cm long            and 4.0 mm wide.        -   Pedicel color.—Moderate yellowish green (RHS 139D).        -   Peduncle.—Rounded, puberulent, average about 3.0 cm long            from abscission point to stem and 4.0 mm wide, slightly            longer on earlier flowers.        -   Peduncle color.—Moderate yellowish green (RHS 139D).        -   Fruit.—Few, loculicidal capsule; glabrous; globose,            occasionally with abruptly acute apex; color between light            yellowish brown (RHS 199C) and dark grayish yellow (RHS            199D) when mature.        -   Seed.—Minutely floccose, typically globose; about 3.0 mm in            diameter; color between dark grayish reddish brown (RHS            200A) and moderate brown (RHS 200C).-   Resistance: The plant grows best with plenty of moisture, but is    able to tolerate some drought once established. Other pest and    disease resistance beyond that of other hardy perennial hibiscus    cultivars has not been observed. Hardiness at least from USDA Zone 4    through 9.-   Commercial use: Suitable for potted plant culture, landscaping as a    specimen or en masse, and especially suited for patios and confined    spaces because of the compact habit.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct Hibiscus hybrid (L.) plantnamed ‘15334-1 GR’ as shown and described herein.